Submitted by the Regional District of Central Kootenay
Sixteen homes in the Six Mile area have been placed on evacuation alert following a mud slide that occurred off the Middle Road near Heddle Road at approximately 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. The Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) reports that there were no injuries and no significant damage to property due to the slide.
“At this time, there is no imminent danger to life or property, but we are asking people in the affected area to be vigilant and be prepared to leave the area on short notice,” said Andrew Bellerby, the RDCK’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Director.
The homeowners have been notified and given safety advice by the North Shore Fire Department. The evacuation alert may be followed by an immediate evacuation order should conditions worsen.
The RDCK coordinated an initial geotechnical assessment by helicopter of the area on Sunday, and will re-assess the situation today. A map of the area is above.
Mud slides and landslides are common in the Kootenays in the spring. Residents who live near areas prone to slides are encouraged to monitor the terrain and any creeks on their property, and become familiar with typical patterns. Any unusual events—such as a rapid increase or decrease in flow, or a change in course, may indicate that a landslide has blocked the creek above or that a slide is about to occur.
What you can do:
Report a slide emergency that is occurring by calling 911.
Report any unusual events to the 24-hour toll-free provincial emergency number at 1-800-663-3456.
Sign up for the RDCK Emergency Notification System (for location-specific orders to evacuate or shelter in place). Go to the RDCK website and select “Emergency Alerts” from the home page, or go to the alert system sign-up page.
For general information about emergency preparedness and evacuations, please visit the Emergency Preparedness page of the RDCK website or PreparedBC.